University Housing Director

Arrange housing for university students.

Quick Stats

Salary Range

$47,000 – $165,000

Data from U.S. Department of Labor

What do University Housing Directors do?

For a student who wants to live in school housing, getting a place can take some serious planning. There’s an entire department dedicated to matching roommates, planning dorm activities, and making sure housing is safe. And the University Housing Director is in charge of it all.

As the University Housing Director, you make sure every student who’s offered a place has a good quality dorm room and is surrounded by an accepting community. To do this, you check to see that the people under you are doing their jobs. This means encouraging RAs to plan more dorm activities for LGBT residents, putting maintenance people in charge of repairs, or making sure Housing Coordinators assign rooms promptly or send out bills on time. And on top of all this, you ensure that the budget is being followed. You walk the fine line between finding ways to keep students happy and saving the university money.

A big part of the job of a University Housing Director involves managing the people under you. You hire or fire employees, help your staff gain new skills, or encourage ideas for the development of new and different types of housing. Working with the Dean of Students, you also help create the university’s overall vision for housing. Universities in general are always aiming for an increase in student population while keeping their housing options top-notch. Your job is to plan how the university can accommodate and encourage growth by creating dorms that will entice new students, taking care to keep costs low in the process.

Should I be an University Housing Director?

You should have
a
master's
degree or higher and share these traits:

Leader:
You're good at taking charge, giving directions, and inspiring other people.

Ready for a Challenge:
You jump into new projects with initiative and drive.

Reliable:
You can always be counted on to do a good job.

Also known as:
Director of Housing and Residence Life, Upward Bound Director

How to Become an
University Housing Director

Most University Housing Directors have a Master's degree. Start by getting your Bachelor's degree.